Another crippling transit strike for San Francisco! A mayor stealing the money that Venice should be using to save itself from flooding! It's a depressing look at What's Ruining Our Cities.

The mayor of Venice is not only ruining the city, HE COULD BE THE REASON IT DROWNS

As thousands of artists and architects from all over the world descend upon the hallowed isle for the Biennale opening celebrations, one person will not be able to partake in the festivities: the city's mayor, Giorgio Orsoni, was arrested on Wednesday, along with 37 other people, accused of embezzling over $27 million in public funds. Yes, it gets worse: the money was meant for the flood barrier which is being built to prevent the epic flooding which begins every fall. When the rains come, Venetians know where to point their soggy, wrinkled fingers. [Al Jazeera]

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A transit "sickout" ruined San Francisco

As if poor San Francisco didn't have enough to worry about, yet another transit strike has swept the city, making it supremely difficult for many of its residents to get to work this week. Operators on Muni, the transit authority which runs most of the buses and some trains, didn't like changes to their contract, but since they're legally not allowed to strike, they staged a "sickout." The city scrambled to get more replacement vehicles on the street, but by Thursday the sickout was resolved and everything was back up and running. Even the cable cars, THANK GOD. [SF Chronicle]

Three of the flood barrier gates of The MOSE are lifted for the first time during a press conference on October 12, 2013 in Venice, Italy. (Photo by Marco Secchi/Getty Images)